More than 400 motorists arrested for drunk driving during recent statewide crackdown

(AREA) -- Authorities arrested 433 motorists for drunk driving during a three-week impaired driving crackdown March 13-April 8. Of those arrested, 72 were charged under the state's high blood alcohol content law with a BAC of .17 or higher. The numbers show an increase from the 405 drunk driving arrests made during a similar enforcement effort last year. The federally funded effort to curtail drunk driving took place during the NCAA basketball tournaments, high school and college spring break periods and St. Patrick's Day. There were 12,296 traffic stops resulting in 6,350 citations and arrests. Locally, St. Clair County received funding for the extra patrols.